1.19.2009

A Little Collection of Things & a New Look!

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Happy MLK day and happy inauguration day too! A very exciting 2009 is on its way. And, I've created a new blog look for the new year. I figure: New year, new look. I hope you like the new banner, I'm glad for a little change. The top Polaroid photo inspired me to create a new banner/ logo/ image. Something about it seemed to capture my work as a poet and I hopped on the opportunity to incorporate more of my disparate creative parts into one look. Fun! I've also been scanning in a bunch of little lovelies so these photo booth images have been tugging on my heartstrings. (Hi, Mister Sweetie-Pie!)

(makes me giggle.)

(the classic photo booth pose: kiss, kiss.)

I'm still taking inventory of my studio and trying to decide how best to prioritize my Big Art Dreams for 2009. Of course, this is an ever-shifting and always evolving task but I like taking this time at the beginning of the year to reflect and refocus. How to balance the day-to-day ritual of creating work with the bigger dreams for the work to evolve? That's a challenge, for certain. For me, it means putting my work out there to publishers, curators, grants panels, and editors and to put the work out there consistently and fearlessly regardless of everything else. Hrmph. So, I'm starting small with 2 submissions a month and hoping that will nudge me to the bigger things.

Honestly? I could just keep taking photos, writing poems, collecting ephemera, sketching in my journal, and dreaming up new prints all the day long. And some days I do! The art-making and art-business balance is a tough one. I know so many of you also struggle with this too! The balance, the balance, the balance. There certainly is no shortage of inspiration. (I am also currently super inspired by Denyse Schimdt's modern quilt designs, particularly this one. A friend pointed me in her direction and I'm getting a hankering for some craft-time. A quilt? Maybe. For now, I'm just enjoying the browsing.)

A few bits of ephemera I'm currently loving are these postcards from John Derian. I visited his lovely shops when we were in Manhattan. Dreamy, dreamy.

(John Derian, "Trinkets". The text was taken from letters found in an old hotel.This certain makes me swoon.)

(John Derian, "Blue Chair". Isn't that chair adorable?)

(John Derian, "Script". All that handwriting = swoon, swoon.)

(John Derian, "Horse". Oh, I have this thing for horses.)

A few more things... I went to the SFMOMA last week and the show was so interesting that I'm going back. Take a peek at their website for The Art of Participation and Martin Puryear summaries. I also had a double-date at the Asian Art Museum and completely fell in love with this tiny sculpture which I can't find on their website. (Ho hum.) It was from the Afghanistan exhibit and it was just 2 inches high, part rooster on the bottom and part human on the top. It was delightful! And if that wasn't enough culture sightseeing, the poetry reading series have kicked up again and SPT hosted a delightful Poets Theater on Friday night and on Saturday night, the reading at the Canessa Reading Series was quite fantastic.

Hooray, poets! Hooray, museums! Hooray, postcards! Hooray, little pile of Polaroids on my desk waiting to be scanned. Today I am taking it slow and easy. And for my American friends, I hope you are enjoying a day off for MLK day! For friends everywhere, I hope you are enjoying your day regardless. xoxo, k.

6 comments:

I think I gave my quilting friend Denyse Schmidt's book of quilting projects. The style IS so wonderfully full of warmth and charm, while still feeling fresh and original. I really like the wanky rectangles.

Here's to freshening up the studio! I have been working on that too, and I love it.